Ask a Barista: What Drink Do You Love Making?

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Despite the cliche of the too-cool barista, most dedicated coffee pros really do love making your coffee drinks. Even more, they love making the coffees that you love drinking. Like most dedicated service professionals, nothing makes a barista's day like someone walking back up to the counter after draining the last sip of a cappuccino and saying, "That was the best coffee I've ever had."

I remember the first time it ever happened to me: it was a caffè mocha, and although through the miracle of hindsight I can tell you it actually wasn't a very good one, I sure was trying. After hearing the compliment a few times since during my dozen-plus years in an apron, I can tell you it never gets old. (Just like the smell of coffee somehow never gets old; it's just as intoxicating now as ever.)

For over a decade, Meister has lived a double life as both a writer and a coffee professional—though she has yet to figure out which is her Dr. Jekyll side and which Mr. Hyde. Her day job is as a member of the customer support team for Counter Culture Coffee, and she has written and/or edited for The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Slashfood.com, Time Out NY, BUST Magazine, Barista Magazine, and Chickpea Magazine in addition to her work with this fine site. On her own, she blogs about cooking adventures (and misadventures) at The Nervous Cook, and about learning to love the long run at Running While Smiling.

She, her husband, and their dog share a too-small Chelsea apartment that's stuffed to the gills with books, vintage clothes, and a whole lot of tchotchkes.

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